2625 - Radiotherapy Combined with Pyrotinib Plus Capecitabine in Patients with Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2)-Positive Breast Cancer and Brain Metastases: A Single-Arm, Exploratory Trial

J. Wang¹, P. Wang², J. You², X. Wang³, H. Hou², B. Zhang², Y. Chai², and Y. Cao²; ¹Department of Radiation oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention Therapy, Tiajin, China, ²Department of Radiation oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention Therapy, Tianjin, China, ³Department of Breast Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention Therapy, Tianjin, China

Purpose/Objective(s): Previous researches indicated the enhanced radiosensitivity in HER2-positive cancer cells by pyrotinib. For patients with treatment-naive brain metastases and central nervous system (CNS) symptoms, whether radiotherapy (current mainstay treatment) combined with pyrotinib-based systemic regimen is more beneficial remains unclear. This study explored radiotherapy combined with pyrotinib plus capecitabine in this population. Materials/

Methods: In this exploratory trial (NCT04767828), patients aged 18-75 years who had HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer and untreated symptomatic brain metastases with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2 were included. Patients with meningeal metastases or without measurable CNS lesions were excluded. Eligible patients received whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) or stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT). The irradiation sites, total radiation dose, and fractions were decided by investigator based on the number of CNS lesions and size. Pyrotinib (400 mg, once a day) and capecitabine (1000 mg/m², twice a day, on days 1-14 of each 21-day cycle) were given since the start of radiotherapy until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. The primary endpoint was CNS progression-free survival (PFS), assessed by Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology Brain Metastases (RANO-BM). Extracranial lesions were assessed by Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1.
Results: Between May 5, 2020 and February 28, 2024, a total of 29 patients were enrolled. Eighteen (62%) patients had other visceral metastases, and 28 (97%) had prior trastuzumab treatment (14 for early breast cancer, 17 for advanced breast cancer, and 3 for both). Twenty One (72%) patients received WBRT and Eight (28%) received SRT. By the data cutoff date February 26, 2024, the median follow-up duration was 15.0 months (range, 1.7-24.8). Median CNS PFS was 10.0 months (95% CI, 5.27-14.73). CNS objective response rate was 100%, including three (12%) patients with CNS complete response. Median overall PFS was 8.5 months (95% CI, 4.76-12.24). Median overall survival was 19.0 months (95% CI, 13.11-24.92). The most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events were vomiting (10%) and nausea (7%). For 21 patients with available results of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), 19 (90%) had normal cognitive function during study period or recovered to normal level within 6 months after radiotherapy.
Conclusion: Radiotherapy combined with pyrotinib plus capecitabine shows favorable CNS response and promising survival outcomes in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer and untreated symptomatic brain metastases, with an acceptable safety profile. This combination strategy warrants further validation in large samples.